I watched it and I waited, and waited...and you saved the best for last! That blonde Deluxe can't be beat. The D'angelico really showed why they're such sought after instruments as well. The tone is phenomenal. All of these sound great. The L-5 is a different beast from the rest, and it just sounds different. Not worse or better in my opinion. Just different. All of them sound great with you playing! Thanks for posting these comparisons; they're my favorite videos! Helps me decide what I need in my arsenal... ha!
Thanks for your comment Nick ! The blonde 38 deluxe is not mine, i'm only selling it for a friend ! its deep woody sound really moves me !! As you said, the L5 is totally different than all the 17 inches archtops, it has dryness and punch, and is the best also for fingerstyle i believe. The D'angelico is smooth and mellow, elegant, a joy to play, more in a 40s 50s style than 20s-30s
The blonde Deluxe and the 1937’ Deluxe were pretty amazing with bit more presence. -It’s So difficult to judge such an array of superb Arch tops. -That Early 30s 16” L-5 was amazing though. The DAngelico’ had buttery sweet tone. Kudos to your great playing 👍awesome Vid
I had to listen through twice they all sounded great, and its at least close To Romaines. The 37 epi was mellower than the 36 but to me he may have been picking easier than the 36. The 39 emperor was nice. Then rounded out by the L-5 and the D’angelico. As always you bring beautiful music to the table. E
Thanks for the input ! I think the 37 was big sounding but i m more inspired by the 36 (36 is mine, i choose it over 37-38-46 although they were all good in their own way)
Acoustic Standards I have flats on my Slaman and will try Nickel next before probably reverting to bronze. Might try semi flats wounds ... but yes the older guitars have an amazing sound. Beautiful!
The Guild to me had a very tight sound, like a guitar that either hasn't had as much playing time or hasn't been played much in a long time. I don't know that it would ever rise to the level of the other guitars in this video, but I suspect that with a lot more playing that it would open up and sound quite different.
@@ChuckNicholsonTRM could be true, but what i think is that it's more a bebop and modern jazz guitar, and therefore might have been played digging soft in the right hand, whereas the 30s one gets to be played 3 times louder, which would i guess help them get more open sound.. but the guild has been played, at least over the past year and half.. it has a huge sound compare to all the other cutaways i've tried.. much more than a 70s L5C i've tried, and all the Johnny Smiths i've tried
The Epi's definitely had more aggressive projection, just the opposite of the sweet and more subtle D'Angelico. The Guild was somewhere in the middle. I really liked the 1936 Epiphone Deluxe. Very nice collection and playing of Misty.
Thanks a lot ! you're right, the epi and especially the 36 has a dry aggressive sound that sometimes nearly feels too much at home, but helps a lot cut on the bandstand, in contexts when sometimes the d'angelico could get lost
@@AcousticStandards What this guitar has is depth and great forward projection. It's loud and the notes therefore decay relatively quickly. Guitarists playing Fenders and Les Pauls simply do not understand this. Their tiny unamplified volume gives what they think is most important:- sustain. But sustain gives chords a soupy wash and greatly reduced string definition. I will never understand why Gibson puts a hard maple top on its semi-acoustic and hollowbody thinline ES's instead of a spruce top. Surely it defeats the object. Returning to these wonderful archtops, people may wonder why big band guitarists held their instruments at a much flatter angle. Well, guitars aren't the loudest instruments in the world and they found there was a great deal of resonant volume from the back of the guitar which hugging the instrument vertically would kill off; Freddie Green can be seen always making full use of this in the Ellington band.
@@Oldpigsass yes exactly, also having the guitar touching the belly can reduce volume, and some people notice it after loosing weight. Freddie Green combined great 2 notes (sometimes even only one) on the middle strings and super high action, the results is great
that's why they are so much sought after.. but i must admit i've tried some D'A way worse than every guitar in this test ! That 42 excel and the sweetest tone, hard to beat on ballads
I'm experimenting with different brands, I've now fitted the Martin Phosphor Bronze ones, but they don't convince me 100%. The GHS White Bronze ones will arrive tomorrow, I'll try those. I think you would like to try my luthier archtop guitar given your great passion@@AcousticStandards
I wonder why they all have adjustable bridges with all the screw and metal. Why not a gypsy style solid ebony bridge? ok , not adjustable but better sound.
it's true that supposedly the plain ebony bridge should sound better, but it actually doesn't, at least any time i've tried !! the density of bridges on archtops can affect a lot the sound, so i've been trying different things and different woods, and the best result is close to what they used back in the days : a 2 parts woody bridge, either rosewood (a little less dense in the sound) or ebony, and the low part with no feet
Guild has a little somehing pretty cool, but it's maybe not as acoustic as the other ones, that were the high end in the 30s when people played acoustically
@@AcousticStandards well you sure own some dandys, that '38 deluxe and then the emperor would be my choice after the D'A bc I always wanted a big 18"+ boomer from the old days.
39 Emperor - perfection
Love your arrangements…just right…sitting by the fire with a glass of brandy 🎼
Hey good plan
Love it, Romain. Love them all, but oooooo, that D'Angelico!
she sure is something very special !!
The First De Angellico and the 38 Epiphone Deluxe were my favorits
I watched it and I waited, and waited...and you saved the best for last! That blonde Deluxe can't be beat. The D'angelico really showed why they're such sought after instruments as well. The tone is phenomenal. All of these sound great. The L-5 is a different beast from the rest, and it just sounds different. Not worse or better in my opinion. Just different. All of them sound great with you playing! Thanks for posting these comparisons; they're my favorite videos! Helps me decide what I need in my arsenal... ha!
Thanks for your comment Nick ! The blonde 38 deluxe is not mine, i'm only selling it for a friend ! its deep woody sound really moves me !! As you said, the L5 is totally different than all the 17 inches archtops, it has dryness and punch, and is the best also for fingerstyle i believe. The D'angelico is smooth and mellow, elegant, a joy to play, more in a 40s 50s style than 20s-30s
Amazing. Legendary guitarist and instruments
The blonde Deluxe and the 1937’ Deluxe were pretty amazing with bit more presence. -It’s So difficult to judge such an array of superb Arch tops. -That Early 30s 16” L-5 was amazing though. The DAngelico’ had buttery sweet tone. Kudos to your great playing 👍awesome Vid
beautiful! I have it in my repertoire too with a female jazz singer from New York...
Great playing! You really bring out the voices of these guitars
Cheers Joe ! what's your favourite?
@@AcousticStandards my favourites were: 39 emperor, the l5 and the guild!
@@joehiles1420 Nice ! The guild might actually be for sale soon ! more info via email ;)
Fantastic video!
Thanks a lot !! plenty more guitar comparison to come, and floating microphones etc
Whoa nice play dude! Love from Indonesia❤️
thanks !!!
Love that '38 blonde DeLuxe
really sweet and woody
I had to listen through twice they all sounded great, and its at least close To Romaines. The 37 epi was mellower than the 36 but to me he may have been picking easier than the 36. The 39 emperor was nice. Then rounded out by the L-5 and the D’angelico. As always you bring beautiful music to the table. E
Thanks for the input ! I think the 37 was big sounding but i m more inspired by the 36 (36 is mine, i choose it over 37-38-46 although they were all good in their own way)
All superlative but there was something more to the D'Angelico with the Rhythm Chief.
That d angelico magic ;)
@@AcousticStandards when you or one of your friends decides to sell an instrument where do you list them?
Love them all except the Guild. Great playing.
the test isn't too fair to the guild indeed, since it's 30 years younger than the other, and it has a cutaway, and it had nickel strings on
Acoustic Standards I have flats on my Slaman and will try Nickel next before probably reverting to bronze. Might try semi flats wounds ... but yes the older guitars have an amazing sound. Beautiful!
@@rieske2000 also some were built before pickups and therefore designed to be always played fully acoustic
The Guild to me had a very tight sound, like a guitar that either hasn't had as much playing time or hasn't been played much in a long time. I don't know that it would ever rise to the level of the other guitars in this video, but I suspect that with a lot more playing that it would open up and sound quite different.
@@ChuckNicholsonTRM could be true, but what i think is that it's more a bebop and modern jazz guitar, and therefore might have been played digging soft in the right hand, whereas the 30s one gets to be played 3 times louder, which would i guess help them get more open sound.. but the guild has been played, at least over the past year and half.. it has a huge sound compare to all the other cutaways i've tried.. much more than a 70s L5C i've tried, and all the Johnny Smiths i've tried
The Epi's definitely had more aggressive projection, just the opposite of the sweet and more subtle D'Angelico. The Guild was somewhere in the middle. I really liked the 1936 Epiphone Deluxe. Very nice collection and playing of Misty.
Thanks a lot ! you're right, the epi and especially the 36 has a dry aggressive sound that sometimes nearly feels too much at home, but helps a lot cut on the bandstand, in contexts when sometimes the d'angelico could get lost
@@AcousticStandards '36 parallel braced?
@@Oldpigsass exact !!
@@AcousticStandards What this guitar has is depth and great forward projection. It's loud and the notes therefore decay relatively quickly. Guitarists playing Fenders and Les Pauls simply do not understand this. Their tiny unamplified volume gives what they think is most important:- sustain. But sustain gives chords a soupy wash and greatly reduced string definition. I will never understand why Gibson puts a hard maple top on its semi-acoustic and hollowbody thinline ES's instead of a spruce top. Surely it defeats the object.
Returning to these wonderful archtops, people may wonder why big band guitarists held their instruments at a much flatter angle. Well, guitars aren't the loudest instruments in the world and they found there was a great deal of resonant volume from the back of the guitar which hugging the instrument vertically would kill off; Freddie Green can be seen always making full use of this in the Ellington band.
@@Oldpigsass yes exactly, also having the guitar touching the belly can reduce volume, and some people notice it after loosing weight. Freddie Green combined great 2 notes (sometimes even only one) on the middle strings and super high action, the results is great
John D! most balanced and warmest sounding.
that's why they are so much sought after.. but i must admit i've tried some D'A way worse than every guitar in this test ! That 42 excel and the sweetest tone, hard to beat on ballads
Such a wonderful resource, I can’t thank you enough. Was there one that you most enjoy playing?
Cheers !! Maybe the d angelico or the 34 L5
Blindfold test the 16” L-5 sounded the worst, I would be happy to buy it from you. 🤣
ahahaha it sounds way different indeed, but i must admit it's one of the best archtops i've played !! LOVE IT
37 Epi Deluxe best one here, to me!
a great one !
What kind of strings do you use mostly on them? They all sound good 👍 with differences of course.
Did you buy all of these? How? That D’Angelico and the L5 alone are expensive.
No i didn t, most of the guitars from the channel are from other players and collectors
l5
Do you have any tabs or lessons for this song
no i don't, i only teach private lessons via skype etc
Dude where do you get all these guitars from?
they are not all mine, i borrow friend's guitar during the day to record etc.. the guitars in this test belong to 5 different owners ;)
What brand are the bronze strings you use?
@@emanuelesalvatorequattrocc2595 either martin or d addario ! My epi can not get the martin cause they are too short with the frequensator tailpiece
I'm experimenting with different brands, I've now fitted the Martin Phosphor Bronze ones, but they don't convince me 100%. The GHS White Bronze ones will arrive tomorrow, I'll try those. I think you would like to try my luthier archtop guitar given your great passion@@AcousticStandards
I can send you some videos if you are interested in listening to the guitar. but I wouldn't know where to send them.
@@emanuelesalvatorequattrocc2595 hey yes sure please send a video link , although i'm not too much into modern archtops i must confess
I wonder why they all have adjustable bridges with all the screw and metal. Why not a gypsy style solid ebony bridge? ok , not adjustable but better sound.
it's true that supposedly the plain ebony bridge should sound better, but it actually doesn't, at least any time i've tried !! the density of bridges on archtops can affect a lot the sound, so i've been trying different things and different woods, and the best result is close to what they used back in the days : a 2 parts woody bridge, either rosewood (a little less dense in the sound) or ebony, and the low part with no feet
Класс!!!
D'Angelico sounded the best to me then the '38 Deluxe and L-5 and then the emperor. The Guild did not have it for me at all.
Guild has a little somehing pretty cool, but it's maybe not as acoustic as the other ones, that were the high end in the 30s when people played acoustically
@@AcousticStandards well you sure own some dandys, that '38 deluxe and then the emperor would be my choice after the D'A bc I always wanted a big 18"+ boomer from the old days.